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them. The new designs were compact, rugged and sensitive. It wasn’t long before the
television industry embraced these new designs. Radio followed the trend shortly
afterward. Further technological development of ribbon microphones was considered
unnecessary and the beloved ribbon soon faded into obscurity. It is a fate reminiscent of
that of the vacuum tube when transistors hit the scene.
Some of their unique characteristics, unmatched even by today’s modern condensers and
dynamics, are still revered by many professionals, as evidenced by the high prices that
vintage ribbons command in the marketplace.
Traditional-style ribbon microphones are still being manufactured in limited quantities
today by a few companies. These microphones are essentially similar to the designs of
the 1930s and limited to specialized applications.
Recent developments in magnetics, electronics and mechanical construction procedures
have made it possible to bring the ribbon microphone back to the forefront of the audio
field. This is similar to the resurgence vacuum tubes have made in recent years, now that
technology has enabled further development of the state of the art in numerous areas. A
renewed interest in these designs (both tube technology and ribbon microphones) is
driven by the unique characteristics these devices posses, which remain unmatched even
by some of today’s marvels.
Today’s ribbon microphones can be made smaller, and have sensitivity levels matching
those of modern dynamic microphones. Aside from the superlative audio qualities of
these microphones, their smooth frequency response and phase linearity make them
ideally suited for the new digital formats that dominate the industry today.
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•
Very high overload characteristics – maximum SPL greater than 130 dB
•
No internal active electronics to overload or produce distortion up to maximum SPL
rating
•
Extremely low residual noise
•
Ribbon element is unaffected by heat or humidity
•
Absence of high frequency phase distortion
•
Excellent phase linearity – even off axis
•
Equal sensitivity from front or back of element
•
Consistent frequency response regardless of distance
•
No power supply required
•
Compact size
